Lim bags Australian Open main draw berth

Promising netter Alberto Lim Jr. has already secured a spot in the main draw of the 2017 Australian Open Junior Championships slated on January 21 to 28 at the Melbourne Park.

The 17-year-old Lim earned an automatic spot in the 64-player knockout stage by virtue of his 52nd position in the world ranking.

Alberto Lim Jr. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Joining him in the list are top rank players Wu Yibing of China, Benjamin Sigouin and Denis Shapovalov of Canada, Alex De Minaur and Alexei Popyrin of Australia, Marvin Moeller of Germany, Yu Hsiou Hsu of Taiwan, Vale Duarte of Portugal, Naoki Tajima and Toru Horie of Japan, Dan Added of France, Kacper Zuk of Poland ang Ergi Kirkin of Turkey.

Lim failed to advance to the second round of the 2016 edition after absorbing a 4-6, 0-6 loss to Eduard Guell Bartrina of Spain in the opening round.

He connived with Youssef Hossam of Egypt in doubles where they defeated Rudolf Molleker of Germany and Corrado Summaria of Italy in the first round, 6-4, 3-6, 10-4, but lost to Toru Horie of Japan and Nicola Kuhn of Germany in the second round, 4-6, 6-2, 9-11.

Lim made it to the third round of the Roland Garros Junior Championships (French Open) in May in France and quarterfinals of the Grade 1 Eddie Herr International Tennis Federation in November in Florida, US.

As part of his buildup, Lim participated in two senior-level tournaments – the Hong Kong Futures 4 and Hong Kong Futures 5 where he reached the main draw of both events after surviving the qualifying stages.